Bed or couch.



' w. J. GROTBNHUI5.

" BED on-couoH. y APPLIULTION FILED un. 2, 1909.k 987,064, PatentedMa1e.14,1911.

2 unis-sunny 1.

. mme@ ff e' county, Indiana, have invented a certain l reduce orextend' the area, of the top. These have not metallxrequirements.. Bothfoldcouches, nd jextensible beds or couches comone under the othe'geaohbeing a complete side. Thicker padding was necessary here STATES PATENT.OFFICE. minuit J. enornnnursor nnxasnr, INDIANA, .sssrrexonro' semriuwsrnnn cocon comun, or cnrceed ILLINOIS, A coureur-N ordrnnrnors.

i Mui on coUoH.

Specification of Letters Ptent. i Application vledprl 2, 1909. SerialNo. 487,414.

,To all whpm'it may concerns' without the necessity of any sliding orother Be it knownthatlf, VVILLAM J. GRorEN- connections between them,suchas are ordi- HUrs, a citizen of the United States of narily andnecessarily used between foldin America, and resident of Elkhart,Elkhart or sliding sections of the same couch or bed new and usefulImprovement in Beds or Couches, of -which the following is aspeciflea-tion.

Beds and couches have been heretofore ing the height of the two beds orcouches,

by a. perfectly level crea is presented by the combined tops of the twocouches, or by the lo made in many ways. Some have been con- `combinedtop's'of two or more sections lof structed to fold, and others have beenmade the same couch, depending upon the conin sections which are movablyconnected to struction, the two separate couches being, however, thepreferred 'arrangement for have been u sed .to'elerge extent, but theyleveling two-or more fabrics or other supporting mediums.' v ingandsectional beds `or couches 'are liable not tobe as Asubstantiel and freefrom comof the stron-ith and stability ofene supportplications valsmight .bedesired. Folding posed of relatively sliding sections,' are,moreover,' liable toget'out of order and re- 'fuse toworkproperlywhen-it is desired to open or close them; Then again thefolding or extensiblei'couch', such as the bed or couch composed ofsections-a main section and a` sliding section-euronet capable ofseperation to forxnf two "separate couches 'or beds. Also, the bed orcouch made in sections, one In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1sliding. upon vthe other, does not insure n is hn end elevation of twocouches or twin perfectly flat top when. the two sections gire beds, onerolled partially over the other, drawn apart, as the tpp of the mainsection -wlmrebv the two muy be used to Jform a S generally. much highertha-Ii die Slldmg double bed. Fin.v Bis a plan of the couches orsection.This last objection has, incertain .berlsshown in Fig.1.thecentrnlportionthere cases, necessitted. thicker padding at one ofbeingr shown broken away for convenience side than at the other, inorder to make the of illustration. Fig. 3 isan enlargedcross -bed level.Couches have beenmade to slide. section of one-couch or hed` showing aoortion of the other. Fig. 4 is 11n-enlarged desuch as ametallic'fabric, whereby-the chan' acterof the support upon whichthe'person rests may be changed at will..l

one adnptedto overlap the other. and means for varying the exlent towhich one overlaps' the other. whereby the width of the bed may bevaried.

and rigid or nanfa djustable couch. Here, also is the objeoiilon thatthe top is not of the fabrics at one end ofthe two couches. level whenthe couches are placed side by Fig. 5'is n detail section on line 5-5 inFizz'.-v 4. Fia. 6 is a perspective of one of the sliding legs of one ofthe couches. Fig, 7 is a neisnective of one' of the attaching hooksas'with the sectionalor extensible couch. The lowerl fabric has beenraised to the level of the higher of the two couches, in some cases.This, also, was not satisfactory, as the fabric could not overlap, sindhence the degree of extension could not 4be varied'.

My invention contemplates, therefore, 'a pair of separate couches, or'twin beds, as

fabric of one ofthe couches.

As thus illustrated, the two couches or twin Vbeds A afi1dBare-substantially alike,

except that Athe latter is slightly smallerthat is. slightly shorter.The couch or bed they might be called; of such character that A has theusual top of metallic fabric a.,

one will go over or under the other, when it and the couch or bed B hasa Similar top' is desired to put one out of the way, and of of fabric b.Legs a are provided for the suchoharacter that they can be used eithercouch or `bed A, and legs b are provided separately or together, as maybe desired, for the couch or bed B. Casters ya and b2 Patented Mer. 14,1911. e

and in which provision is made for equaliz- A It further contemplatesVthe augmenting'.

It also contemplates two :couch fabrics,

teil plan view of the overlapping portion y by lowering one relative tothe other, whereing medium -oie. bed or couch, by lowering 1 on to the'same'. at will,' another. medium,

for certain of 4the helical springs of the l are provided for the lowerer-,ds of said legs. The frame construction of each couch or bed isunimportant, and may be of any suit able character, such as those usedfor various well known forms of steel couches. If the ordinary ,sidebars a and b are used, then the two couches are separated by tiltingthem `over-on their sides and drawing the legs a through the space,between the bars b3 and the fabric b. The 'two couches are then broughtone over the other by the reverse process. These side bars are, however,not necessary, as 'other' provisions may used. The couch or bed B isadapted to roll over the couch A, thusputting the latter out of the way.When separated the two couches or beds Amake separate couches or bedswhich can be used in different parts of the room, or in differentlrooms. When brought together the two couches or beds forni twin beds forsleeping purposes.'

As a matter of special improvement, the couch or bed B has sliding feetor legs C operated by toggles It will be seen that each toggle (therearefour in all) has one end pivoted to the legs and the other-,endpivoted toA the foot or sliding leg C. The joints or middle parts ofthese toggles areconnected by links E with levers F mounted on:gsuitably supported rod or shaft G. One. or both of said levers F maybe provided with a handle f.' As shown, the -toggles D are in positionto hold the couclrB inA an elevated position-that is, with its topsomewhat higher than the top-of the couch Ar. This is because thetoggles are moved a little past the-center and are bearing against theflanges of .the angle ironvlegs. When the lever F is swung over,thelioggles are bent in the other direction to an extent sufficient topermit the fabric b to rest n the fabric a.

.The fabric shown is made up of lon itudinal slats and cross connecting1in is. Helical springs connect the slats to the ends of the two couchframes. The helicals H for the couch 4B are connected to the couch tweenthe slats 2 of the couch A. t In use the two fabrics can belapped eislightly or to a considerable extent, depending upon what width of bedis desired. In any case, however, the interlocking of Vthe two fabricswill hold the two couches against relative movement. When one couch orbed is moved entirely over the other, then the two fabrics can beileftseparated, or they can be brought together.

strength and stability of a 'supporting medium lielow. Then partiallyseparated,-

ihe ino couches form a double bed; when' fully separated, theyconstitute twin beds, or

h B fau be..

Thus one su porting medium 1s lowered-t0 augment tie i may be used astwo separate couches. The lapping of the fabrics a and b, and thelowering of one on to the other, brings them practic ly into thc sameplane, and gives a broad level surface, In this way dill'erentthicknesses of padding is not i'iecessary.

The toggle mechanism determines the position of the top of the couch B,as the sume has only two positions, either clear up or clear down. Therecan be no intermediate positions; and the weight of one couch, isemployed for bringing its fabric down to theleve'l of the other fabric.This is a decided advantage, as there is no weight upon the toggles orother adjusting devices when the fabrics are brought into the samelevel. The leveling is done-by taking the ,wei ht oil froml the raisingand lmvering mec ianism.

If a singlebed is desired, one couch can be moved over the other, andthe upper couch raised to its upper position. If a couch is desired7then the upper fabric can be lowered onto the other fabric, so that thetwo fabrics will combine to give greater' stability for couch purposes.,The upper fabric can the 'i be again raised for sleeping purposesi;

W'hat I-cla 1i as my invention is:

1. Two separate beds or couches, cach provided with means wherebyit isfully supported on the floor independently of the other, one over theother, the upper couch having extensible legs forraising and loweringthe top thereof relative to the other. each ieg provided with a toggleinclosed therein, and .means for operating said toggle-s simultaneously.

2. Two lseparate beds or couches, each provided with means whereby it isfully supported on the floor independently of the other, one under theother, one couch having extensible legsfor raising and lowering thi topthereof, relative .to the otl'1er,'each leg provided with a toggleinclosed therein, and means .for operating said toggles simultaneously.i 3. Two separa-te beds or couches, cach' provided with legs whereby itis fully supported on the floor independently of the other, one over theother, and devices for shortening the vlegs of the upper couch.

'4.' Two separate beds or couches, each provided with means whereby itis fully supported on the Hoor independently of the 'other in allpositions of both couches, and

means adaptingfoneto' be moved over the other, comprisingfdevices on theupper bed or couch .for lowering 'its top .-intothe plane of the top ofthe-*other bed orleuch.

5L Two separate-beds orwconches, each provided 'with means'whereby :it-is fully supported on Athe Hoor-.independently of the other in allpositions ofrbotheouches, one being smaller to movezndenzthe other, and

means von the llpperbed or couch for lowerl ing its top into theplaneof" the top ofthev .other bed or couch.

GfTwo'separ'ate beds or couches, each provided'with means whereby it isfully: supported on the. floor in de endently of the dother inV all.-positions ,o both '.couches, one over the other, each bed -or couchbeing separable from and adapted for use independently of the other, onecouchI being extensible, legs for raising and .lower-' 4ing the topthereof relative to the other, the :top of one couchl beingprovidedwithr means for interlocking` with the top of the other, whenthe two, are to be used together in eX- tended forni, the interlockingmeans conf sisting4 of a fabric on one couch that meshes with a fabricon the other couch.

7. Two independent bed or couch fabrics, and means comprising a movableframe sup- 4'porting one fabric for lapping andfinten.

locking the side portions of said fabrics, to kprovide'a bed ofextended'area,said means operable .to 4separate them afterward. p 8.Tivo bed or couch fabrics, one disposed .ina plane above the other,means for lowering the. upper` fabric into the plane of the other, andymeans for supporting the fabrics in either position.

9. In beds or couches, two supporting mediums means for moving the'uppermedium. vertically and. downward upon thef other to A-in effect combinethe supportingstrength of the two in one, and means'for supporting themediums'in either position. l0. In ,a bed or couch, two supportingmediums, one disposed above 'and resting lupon the other., and acljusting4 means for raising the upper'medium vertically land bodily, asset forth..

' 11. ln an articlefoffurnitureofthe type set forth, the combination ofvtwo,independ lent couches, eachy couch provided with ineans forsupporting it independently. of

.the other' in allpositions'gof both couches,

each couch- 'provided with an upper supporting 'surface 'of fabric, one-of these couches having its frame as well as 4its supporting fabricmade shorter than the other,

fand said othercouch beingprovidedfwith ineans'for raising and loweringthe fabric vthereof whereby -the two couches may -be i detached and.used separately or` 1nay` be telescoped one into the-otherfortliefpurp'ose set forth. f l

12. An article of furniture. of the l,type

set forth, consisting of two couclies,'each4 couch 'having 1an uppersupporting surface of resilient material, thefraine as well 'as theresilient supporting surface of, one of the couches being shorterthanthat ofthe other, and said other couch being provided withmeans forraising-lits supporting sur? face above thesupporting surface ofthe{other-couch, and for lowering it -into thc sameplanetherewithV-the'said raising and lowering meansbeing'locatedentirely upon` said other couch, whereby the couches may be telescopedto varying extents and the 'two fabrics brought 4together in the sauleplane in each of the adjustments, for the purpose set forth.

13,. A couch having means forconverting the saine intoa bed,-con1prisingupper andlower members, each member having means for supporting itindependently of the. other member in all positions ofboth member-s,

the supporting means of the `upper nieinberf.

being adjustable. and operating means connected to said adjustable'supportingjmeaus whereby the upper member is adapted to be moved overand upon or to a level with and beside thelowermember.' Signedby me atChicago, 1llinois,.this Ltth day of February, 1909.

CLARENCE E. TAYLOR. E. H. CLEGG.

,WILLIAi/i J.- GnoTnNiiUis. Witnesses:

